Coarse Coir Starting Mix?

Greatgardens · February 5, 2017

If any of you have used Burpee Super Growing Pellets, you've probably noticed how coarse the Coir is. It is basically little chunks or pellets, rather than the fiberous strands that one usually finds. Those pellets are really a great product, but are quite expensive.

Is anybody aware of a source for this coarse type seed starting material in bulk/bagged as opposed to in the netted pellets? I've looked at quite a few alternatives, and have yet to find something quite the same. I know that I can add perlite and increase the coarseness, but that is not what I want to do.

-GG

Greatgardens · February 8, 2017

OK, I've found some info for my question. According to Burpee customer service, the "block" of "organic concentrated seed starting mix" is coarse and "chunky" like the pellets -- not fine like the bagged material. (Although I like the bagged material for some things, also.) Menards carries the blocks, and they're on sale this week. Bought a block today, and I'll hydrate and expand part of the brick. Then post the results. The customer service agent said that he/she uses the blocks for seed starting for their own garden, and they are coarse like the pellets. Those pellets combined with the self-watering mat are just excellent. I've always had good success with them. So hopefully this will work equally well, but cheaper.
-GG

Greatgardens · February 11, 2017

I took the block of Burpee concentrated seed starting mix and hydrated it in a large bucket with warm water, and it rapidly turned into a coarse coir mix. Instructions are on the package. Easy as can be! It is definitely coarse, but not quite as coarse as their pellets. I think it will work just fine using regular seed starting trays on a wicking mat. In a few weeks when I start my next batch of seeds, I'll use this -- but I have no reservations from what I've seen thus far. And I saved about 90% (or so) of the cost!
-GG

HudsonValley · February 15, 2017

If you can find it, Black Gold has a bagged product called "Just Coir." It worked really well for me last year, especially for germinating hot pepper seeds that refused to grow in a peat-based mix.

Greatgardens · February 15, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by HudsonValley

If you can find it, Black Gold has a bagged product called "Just Coir." It worked really well for me last year, especially for germinating hot pepper seeds that refused to grow in a peat-based mix.

Thanks. I looked this up and none of the Big Box outfits in this area seem to carry it. Amazon has it, but the shipping is a killer!

I also ran across an ad for Miracle Gro "Expand 'n Gro" (coir) + fertilizer. They tried this a couple of years ago, and evidently didn't sell well, so they discontinued it. It's back, and I'll probably try it if I find it locally. I bought some last time around, and was quite pleased with it. It will be interesting to see if anything is different, or if they now believe that more people will find coir acceptable.

http://www.miraclegro.com/smg/goprod...x/prod11850028

-GG

Gerardo · February 15, 2017

A while ago I received a sample of GS-3 Growstone , removed the big chunks and used it for seed starting, I've yet to match those GS-3 germination rates using other mixes.

Moral of the story, coir is an outstanding, neutral seed starter. The Royal Gold product mentioned above is excellent too, decent price at my hydro store.

February 5, 2017	#1
Greatgardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,124	Coarse Coir Starting Mix? If any of you have used Burpee Super Growing Pellets, you've probably noticed how coarse the Coir is. It is basically little chunks or pellets, rather than the fiberous strands that one usually finds. Those pellets are really a great product, but are quite expensive. Is anybody aware of a source for this coarse type seed starting material in bulk/bagged as opposed to in the netted pellets? I've looked at quite a few alternatives, and have yet to find something quite the same. I know that I can add perlite and increase the coarseness, but that is not what I want to do. -GG

February 11, 2017	#3
Greatgardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,124	Success! I took the block of Burpee concentrated seed starting mix and hydrated it in a large bucket with warm water, and it rapidly turned into a coarse coir mix. Instructions are on the package. Easy as can be! It is definitely coarse, but not quite as coarse as their pellets. I think it will work just fine using regular seed starting trays on a wicking mat. In a few weeks when I start my next batch of seeds, I'll use this -- but I have no reservations from what I've seen thus far. And I saved about 90% (or so) of the cost! -GG

February 8, 2017	#2
Greatgardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,124	OK, I've found some info for my question. According to Burpee customer service, the "block" of "organic concentrated seed starting mix" is coarse and "chunky" like the pellets -- not fine like the bagged material. (Although I like the bagged material for some things, also.) Menards carries the blocks, and they're on sale this week. Bought a block today, and I'll hydrate and expand part of the brick. Then post the results. The customer service agent said that he/she uses the blocks for seed starting for their own garden, and they are coarse like the pellets. Those pellets combined with the self-watering mat are just excellent. I've always had good success with them. So hopefully this will work equally well, but cheaper. -GG

February 15, 2017	#4
HudsonValley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Hudson Valley, NY, Zone 6a Posts: 626	If you can find it, Black Gold has a bagged product called "Just Coir." It worked really well for me last year, especially for germinating hot pepper seeds that refused to grow in a peat-based mix.

February 15, 2017	#6
Gerardo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego-Tijuana Posts: 2,598	A while ago I received a sample of GS-3 Growstone , removed the big chunks and used it for seed starting, I've yet to match those GS-3 germination rates using other mixes. Moral of the story, coir is an outstanding, neutral seed starter. The Royal Gold product mentioned above is excellent too, decent price at my hydro store.